Roses for the Dead
by feministgranger17
Summary: Four years after the war, Hermione finds herself working for the ministry. Someone is murdered and Hermione has to work with an old enemy to solve the case. Yes, Draco Malfoy gets under her skin but that doesn't necessarily mean he does it in a way that she doesn't like. don't judge this summary please haha! dramione romance
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** **: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. They all belong to the wonderful JK Rowling.**

Chapter One

Hermione was currently sitting at her desk reading today's copy of the _Daily Prophet_. It was a rare day that one wouldn't find Hermione sitting at her desk with her legs propped up, the _Daily Prophet_ in one hand, and her tremendously large cup of coffee in the other. Her coffee addiction came from her time in the states when she took a year off after the war to explore and get some alone time. She wore very round thin rimmed glasses that were two sizes too big for her face. _I need them for reading_ is what she tells those who question her choice of eyewear.

"Miss Granger, Ginny Potter is here to see you. She says that the two of you are supposed to have lunch?" Hermione glanced up from behind the paper to see her secretary, Justin Finch-Fletchley. He was a tall man with blonde hair and light blue eyes. He and Hermione were in the same Herbology class at Hogwarts. He wasn't very bright or very brave but he was, indeed, kind and handworking.

Hermione smiled at Justin, "Yes, that's right. Let me put my shoes on. Please tell Ginny I'll be right out. Honestly, that woman is eight months pregnant and she still manages to move much quicker than I do." Justin simply nodded and walked out the door to complete Hermione's task. Hermione downed the last of her coffee and slipped on her heels. She grabbed her bag, the infamous purple beaded one, and headed out the door.

Ginny was staring at her while tapping incessantly at her imaginary watch. "Oh, would you stop? You didn't even know what a watch was until last year." Hermione said as she rolled her eyes.

Ginny's mouth widened, "I arrived exactly on time and I've been waiting. You know that my patience went out the window the minute I got pregnant."

Hermione laughed, "Ginny, darling, you never had patience. Now let's go."

Ginny looked stunning as always. Her flaming red hair in a tight ponytail with a casual fitted black dress. Her belly was nice and round and her cheeks had a slight pink tint to them. To top it all off she was wearing shiny black heels. Eight months pregnant and she's walking around in heels. Hermione will never understand how she does it.

They were eating at this new restaurant that had just opened right in the heart of Diagon Alley. Ginny had heard amazing reviews from all her friends on the quidditch team that she insisted that she and Hermione have lunch here. Ginny is on maternity leave from playing for the Hollyhead Harpies. They don't expect her to ride around on a broom with a baby on the way.

As Hermione swallowed the first bite of her food, she moaned at how delicious it tasted. Ginny was already inhaling her food. "Ginny, slow down or the baby is going to come sooner than expected with all of the indigestion you'll be having tonight."

Ginny scoffed at Hermione, "Please, the baby wants me to eat at this speed. She liked having her food come quick."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "And how are you so sure that it's a girl? I thought that you and Harry were going to keep it a surprise."

"We are! I just have a feeling!"

Hermione laughed, "With a family full of boys, I feel that having a girl might be a little out of the ordinary. Even if her father is the boy who lived."

"Oh hush up. Now, enough about my baby. Hermione, when are you going to have a man in your life? It's been years since you were with Ron. Don't you feel deprived?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Ginny, believe it or not, life doesn't revolve around sex."

"I know that, but it does make it much more enjoyable."

"I don't need to have a man in my life. I'm very happy on my own. I have a nice flat, friends, and a steady job. Besides, you act as though I haven't dated anyone since your brother. You know very well that I've been on a few dates through the years."

Ginny swallowed another bite of food. "Yes, I know that you're an independent witch and all but there's nothing wrong with a nice looking male to warm up your bed. As for those dates, they were never serious so they don't count."

"Ginny, I swear, your pregnancy hormones have clouded up your brain. How does Harry ever rest?"

"Oh believe me, he doesn't." Ginny said followed by a wink.

Hermione feigned a barfing face. "Please, I don't need the gory details."

Once the girls' lunch was over, Hermione was back at work. Hermione worked in the ministry as a medical examiner and part time auror whenever it was necessary. Hermione was currently in the morgue finishing up her work on the most recent body to come through the ministry's doors. As Hermione was getting ready to place the body in it's own personal place of rest she heard someone come in. It was Justin again. "Miss Granger, Harry Potter wants to see you in his office."

Before Justin turned to leave, Hermione stopped him. "Justin, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Hermione? You act as though we're strangers."

He nodded, "Of course, Hermione. Just remember to go see Mr. Potter."

Hermione finished putting the body away, washed her hands, and went to go see what it was that Harry wanted. She entered the elevator and pressed level twenty-three, the highest floor in the ministry. This is where the aurors worked. Hermione walked by plenty of desks and smiled at those who bid her a good afternoon. She went straight to Harry's office which read, _Chief Auror_ , and didn't bother knocking before walking in. Harry looked up from his paperwork and stood to greet her.

Harry had changed a bit since the war. He grew in height, put on a bit of muscle, and he had actually decided to get a haircut. He still had the same round glasses and his lightening blot shaped scar stood out on his forehead. He embraced Hermione and motioned for her to sit on the chair that was placed in front of his desk. "So, I hear I've been summoned?"

Harry smiled, "Yes you have. But first, tell me how your lunch date with Ginny went."

"It was wonderful. We talked about all kinds of things. The only part I didn't enjoy was when she was going on and on about how I need a good lay."

Harry shrugged, "It has been a while. I mean, you and Ron broke up-"

Hermione groaned, "Why does everyone think that the last man I was with was Ron? Like I told Ginny, I've been on dates since Ronald."

"Hermione, we know that but none of them were serious."

"I think that you and Ginny spend way too much time together."

"We are married, you know." Harry adjusted himself in his seat. "Anyway, I do need to speak with you about something important. We have a new case."

Hermione perked up in her chair, intrigued. "Tell me more."

"I just received a call that they found a body in the woods right out side of Knockturn Alley. They believe that it's a woman but apparently the body is completely unrecognizable. When you walked in they had just informed me that they were going to perform an identification spell."

Hermione crossed her legs, "So, I'm guessing that the two of us are going out there to find out who it is and what happened? Do you think it was a homicide?"

Harry seemed to look a bit uncomfortable. "Well, Hermione, this is what I needed to talk to you about. You see, right next to the body was a mark in the ground. It looked similar to the Dark Mark." Harry shifted in his seat again. "While you're my best examiner and most quick minded, I also needed someone who has special knowledge about the dark arts, especially pertaining to the dark mark."

Hermione scrunched her eyebrows together. "Harry, you know plenty about the dark arts. You were the one who defeated Voldemort, remember?"

Harry stood up and walked around his desk to sit closer to Hermione. "We've had someone on our force who has been working under the radar. I, and so many others on the team, believe that he is the man for the job."

Hermione was genuinely confused as to why Harry was acting the way he was. "Well, who is it?"

"Draco Malfoy."

/

 **That's it for chapter one! I randomly got inspiration for this story so I thought that I would share. Yes, this is a Dramione fic so if you're not into then I'm sorry. I hope to make this story as interesting as possible!**

 **Please don't forget to follow this story so you will be updated on when the next chapter has been posted. Also, please review! I would love to hear all of your thoughts.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer** **: If I owned Harry Potter do you think I'd be writing this?**

Chapter Two

 _Ugly. Know-it-all. Filthy. Mudblood._

Hermione had flashbacks to all of her worst moments. Funny how one name can make her go back to the insecure little girl she used to be. Suddenly for a reason unbeknownst to Hermione she started to laugh uncontrollably. Harry furrowed his brows together. "Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione tried her hardest to stop laughing but she couldn't stop. She resorted to holding her breath until her laughing slowly subsided. "Wow Harry, that is some joke. Now, really, are we going to head over to the scene?"

Harry looked as though he was thinking carefully about his next words. "Hermione, I know that this must be hard for you but Malfoy has been working very hard to change his reputation. He is the best man for the job. He knows everything that there is to know about the dark arts."

Hermione jumped up from her seat. "Of course he does! He is a deatheater! How could you possibly forget that? What makes you think that he isn't the one behind this?"

"Hermione, Malfoy was forced to become a deatheater and you know that. He never wanted to be one. I've spoken with him on countless occasions and I can genuinely say that he's a changed man."

Hermione groaned, "Oh, how can you be so blind? He's obviously playing you! Have you forgotten everything that he did to us at school? Did you forget when they captured us and tortured us, wait, when they tortured _me_?" Hermione felt her throat tighten but she kept going. "Harry, I thought that you were my best friend. How could you put me to work with that horrid excuse of a human being?"

Harry grabbed her hands. "Look 'Mione, I know that this is the last thing you would have wanted but it has to be this way. Malfoy is the most qualified for this job and I need you to work with him. Hermione, I haven't forgotten about what happened in the past but we're adults now. I'm sorry but this is the way it has to be. I need you to understand that I wouldn't be putting you in this situation if it wasn't necessary."

Hermione sighed, "Okay Harry, I trust you. I don't like it but I'll do whatever I have to do. You say he's changed?"

"I promise he's changed. Yes, he's still a git but we can't expect a complete turnaround can we?"

Hermione apparated to Knockturn Alley and was welcomed by a ginormous crowd full of reporters and photographers. Hermione tried her hardest to push through the crowd but it was damn near impossible due to her small frame. "Excuse me, sorry. I need to get through. Excuse me!" She finally made it to the front to get a clear view of the crime scene. Hermione turned to face the crowd, "Alright, there's nothing to see here. Please, I kindly ask that you all leave and allow the ministry to get to the bottom of this." No one seemed to pay attention to her so Hermione put up a shield with a simple flick of her wand. This way no one would be able to see what was happening.

A white blonde head flashed before her eyes and she immediately recognized that head to be the head of Draco Malfoy. "Malfoy!"

Draco turned around and from what Hermione could see, looked a bit nervous for their first interaction since the war. "Granger, it's good to have you. Potter says that you're the best of the best."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Look Malfoy, I'm not here to play nice. I'm here to solve a murder. Have you identified the body?" Malfoy shook his head and opened his mouth to speak but Hermione cut him off. "Do you have a suspect in mind? Do you know of any witnesses? Have you discovered anything about the crime scene that could help us?"

"Well, I-"

"Well, well, well what? Malfoy, how do you expect for me to get anything done if you can't even do your own job? Harry said you were the best man for the job but clearly-"

Hermione was cut off by another voice. The voice belonged to Blaise Zabini, one of the lead investigators on the case. "Hermione, Malfoy just got here about thirty seconds before you did. We hadn't even said hello before you arrived."

Hermione felt a bit embarrassed at her outburst but she wasn't about to let anyone else know that. "Right, well, Blaise what can you tell us about what happened?"

Blaise Zabini was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. He was extremely intelligent, not to mention had a glowing smile. "We had just performed an identification spell before the both of you arrived. As you can probably tell, this person is completely unrecognizable. The results should be coming out right about now." Blaise paused for a moment and a worried look appeared on his face. "It's, um, it's…"

Blaise seemed to have trouble finding his words. Hermione grew impatient. "Out with it then. Who is it?"

Blaise looked up and seemed to be staring directly at Draco. "It's Pansy Parkinson."

/

 **Sorry that this chapter is a bit short. I wanted to leave it at this part for a bit of a dramatic effect haha. I hope that you all liked this chapter! Please review and let me know what you all think. I'll improve in whatever way I can. Thanks for reading!**


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